Stripping tool for leafy vegetables and herbs

ABSTRACT

Devices and methods for use in removing the foliage from stems of leafy vegetables and sprigs of herbs are shown and described. The device has a body that is sized and shaped to fit comfortably into a one hand. The body can be generally flat and can have at least one edge following a convex curve. A trimming blade projects outwardly from at least a portion of the convexly curved edge of the body. A selection of apertures of different sizes extends through the body. The user can select an aperture large enough to allow the stem to pass through, but too small for the foliage to pass through. During use, a user can use the trimming blade to trim off unwanted parts from a sprig of herb or a piece of leafy vegetable, pass the sprig through a selected aperture sized to remove the foliage therefrom, and cut the foliage to the desired size by rocking the trimming blade along its length over the foliage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present disclosure generally is related to kitchen tools, and moreparticularly, to tools for use stripping the foliage from the stalk onleafy vegetables and herbs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed toward devices and methods for use inremoving the foliage from stems of leafy vegetables and sprigs of herbs.The device has a body that is sized and shaped to fit comfortably into aone hand. The body can be generally flat and can have at least one edgefollowing a convex curve. A trimming blade projects outwardly from atleast a portion of the convexly curved edge of the body. A selection ofapertures of different sizes extends through the body. The user canselect an aperture large enough to allow the stem to pass through, buttoo small for the foliage to pass through. During use, a user can usethe trimming blade to trim off unwanted parts from a sprig of herb or apiece of leafy vegetable, pass the sprig through a selected aperturesized to remove the foliage therefrom, and cut the foliage to thedesired size by rocking the trimming blade along its length over thefoliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a device for use in preparing herbs andleafy vegetables.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a left side elevation view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a right side elevation view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed toward devices and methods for usewhen preparing herbs and leafy vegetables. Specific embodiments aredescribed below in association with the enclosed figures. A person ofordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this entire disclosure, willappreciate that some of the details shown and/or described can bechanged or eliminated without deviating from the scope of the invention.As such, the scope of the invention should be construed based only onthe claims.

FIGS. 1-7 collectively show all of the features of one embodiment of atool 10 for use in preparing herbs and leafy vegetables for storing,cooking and eating. In particular, features of the tool 10 can be usedto trim unwanted pieces and to strip the leafy portions from the stem.The tool 10 generally incorporates a body 12 having a trimming edge 14and a plurality of apertures 16 for stripping foliage from stems.

As shown in FIG. 1, the illustrated body 12 is a single, unitary articlehaving no moving parts. The embodiment selected to be illustratedincorporates a base portion 18 and an overmolded portion 20,collectively forming the unitary body 12. The base portion 18 andovermolded portion 20 can be selected based on their respectiveproperties: hardness, color, resiliency, texture, workability, etc. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the base portion 18 is hardened and workablesuch that the trimming edge 14 can be sharpened and can maintain a sharpedge; and the overmolded portion 20 is resilient and has a tacky surfacetreatment to facilitate holding and retaining the tool 10 during use.Many other materials, combinations of materials, and respective featurescan be selected, as desired or appropriate for a particular use.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, the body 12 can be thin to comfortably fit in auser's hand or between the user's fingers during the trimming and/orstripping process.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the trimming edge 14 in the illustratedembodiment of the tool 10 extends roughly half the length of one side ofthe body 12. As a result, the trimming edge 14 can be used to trim foodwhile the user holds the body 12 of the tool 10 in one hand. Theillustrated trimming edge 14 has a convex profile, allowing it to berolled over an article during cutting. Such a technique can be veryeffective in cutting or trimming herbs and leafy greens, which otherwisetend to move when cut with a reciprocating blade motion.

As also shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the apertures 16 used to strip foliagefrom stems can be located throughout the body 12. In the illustratedembodiment, apertures 16 of many different sizes are positioned alongall of the edges of the body 12 with the exception of the trimming edge14. The illustrated tool 10 incorporates nine apertures 16, eachaperture having a unique diameter. As a result, the tool 10 can be usedto strip the foliage of a wide variety of herbs and leafy vegetables.

As best shown in FIG. 6, some of the apertures 16 can be part of thebase portion 18 of the body 12, in which case, a ring 22 can projectoutward from the base portion. When overmolded, the overmolded portion20 can be positioned outside the ring 22. This configuration may allow aring 22 of harder material to be used on a side of the body 12 where thematerial otherwise is softer or more resilient. Using a harder materialfor the ring 22 may allow the aperture 16 to work more efficiently thanif the aperture were made with the softer, more resilient material.

An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed thisdisclosure, will immediately appreciate that various changes could bemade to the details described and shown in this disclosure withoutdeviating from the spirit of the invention.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to providefurther embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent applicationpublications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patentapplications and non-patent publications referred to in thisspecification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet areincorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of theembodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of thevarious patents, applications and publications to provide yet furtherembodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of theabove-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specificembodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should beconstrued to include all possible embodiments along with the full scopeof equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, theclaims are not limited by the disclosure.

1. A hand-operated device for use in removing foliage from the stems ofleafy vegetables and herbs, the device comprising: a body sized andshaped to be held comfortably in a single hand, the body being generallyflat and having at least one curved edge following a convex curve; ablade projecting outward from at least a portion of the convexly curvededge of the body; a plurality of apertures of different sizes extendingthrough the body, the apertures being large enough to allow the stem topass through, but too small for the foliage to pass through; whereby auser can use the blade to trim off unwanted parts from a sprig of herbor a piece of leafy vegetable, pass the sprig through a selectedaperture sized to remove the foliage therefrom, and cut the foliage tothe desired size by rocking the blade along its length over the foliage.2. The hand-operated device of claim 1 wherein the body is slightlythicker in a middle portion than it is along an edge portion.
 3. Thehand-operated device of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the body tapersdownward as it approaches the curved edge.
 4. The hand-operated deviceof claim 1 wherein the apertures are circular.
 5. The hand-operateddevice of claim 1 wherein the apertures are circular and have differentdiameters.
 6. A hand-operated device for use in removing foliage fromthe stems of leafy vegetables and herbs, the device comprising: aleaf-shaped body sized to be held comfortably in a single hand, the bodybeing generally flat and having opposing curved edges, at least aportion of each edge following a convex curve; a blade projectingoutward from at least a portion one of the convexly curved edges of thebody; a plurality of apertures of different sizes extending through thebody, the apertures being spaced apart from each other along theopposing curved edges, and being large enough to allow the stem to passthrough but too small for all of the foliage to pass through; whereby auser can pass the sprig through a selected aperture sized to remove thefoliage therefrom and cut the foliage to the desired size by rocking theblade along its length over the foliage.
 7. The hand-operated device ofclaim 6 wherein the body is slightly thicker in a middle portion than itis along an edge portion.
 8. The hand-operated device of claim 6 whereina thickness of the body tapers downward as it approaches the curvededge.
 9. The hand-operated device of claim 6 wherein the apertures arecircular.
 10. The hand-operated device of claim 6 wherein the aperturesare circular and have different diameters.